Filter construction for use with air in-take for gas turbine and methods

Abstract

The filter of the invention is a cartridge filter comprising a structure that can maintain a filter medium in an air stream to filter particulates to protect a gas turbine power system. The filter combines a mechanically adequate filter structure and an effective filter medium for to obtain a useful system.

We claim: 
     
       1. A filter element installed in a filtration system for a gas turbine; the filter element comprising:
 a media pack having a most upstream side and a downstream side and arranged to be operably installed in the filtration system to provide gas to be filtered to flow through the media pack from the most upstream side to the downstream side; 
 the media pack comprising a media layer comprising a support layer and a membrane layer; the membrane layer being on the most upstream side; 
 the media pack including an oleophobic coating on the upstream side of the membrane layer; and 
 the media pack further comprising a depth loading structure downstream of the support layer, wherein the depth loading structure is a wet laid substrate comprising bicomponent fibers. 
 
     
     
       2. A filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the membrane layer comprises expanded PTFE. 
     
     
       3. A filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the support layer is a wet laid support layer or an air laid support layer. 
     
     
       4. A filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the media pack includes a pocket element having a plurality of panel pairs, each pair forming a V-like shape. 
     
     
       5. A filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the media pack includes a plurality of mini-pleated panel pairs, each pair forming a V-like shape. 
     
     
       6. A filter element according to  claim 1  further comprising a hybrid membrane layer, the hybrid membrane layer being downstream of the support layer. 
     
     
       7. A filtration system for a gas turbine comprising:
 (a) a partition; 
 (b) a plurality of filter elements operably installed in or on the partition; each of the filter elements including a media pack having a most upstream side and a downstream side to provide gas to be filtered to flow through the media pack from the most upstream side to the downstream side; 
 the media pack comprising a media layer comprising a support layer and a membrane layer; the membrane layer being on the most upstream side; 
 the media pack including an oleophobic coating on the upstream side of the membrane layer; and 
 the media pack further comprising a depth loading structure downstream of the support layer, wherein the depth loading structure is a wet laid substrate comprising bicomponent fibers. 
 
     
     
       8. A filtration system according to  claim 7  wherein the membrane layer comprises expanded PTFE. 
     
     
       9. A filtration system according to  claim 7  further including a pulse system to periodically emit a pulse of compressed fluid from the downstream side of the media to the most upstream side of the media. 
     
     
       10. A filtration system according to  claim 9  wherein the membrane layer comprises expanded PTFE and the support layer is spunbond media. 
     
     
       11. A filtration system according to  claim 7  further including an upstream cleaning system to emit a spray of fluid at the most upstream side of the media. 
     
     
       12. A filtration system according to  claim 7  wherein the media pack includes a pocket element having a plurality of panel pairs, each pair forming a V-like shape. 
     
     
       13. A filtration system according to  claim 7  wherein the media pack includes a plurality of mini-pleated panel pairs, each pair forming a V-like shape. 
     
     
       14. A method of filtering air for a gas turbine system; the method comprising:
 (a) directing air to be filtered through a most upstream side and then through a downstream side of filter media in a filter element installed in a partition; the filter media comprising a support layer and a membrane layer that is on the most upstream side of the support layer; 
 the media pack including an oleophobic coating on the upstream side of the membrane layer; the media pack further comprising a depth loading structure downstream of the support layer, wherein the depth loading structure is a wet laid substrate comprising bicomponent fibers; and 
 (b) directing the filtered air to the gas turbine. 
 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14  wherein the membrane layer comprises expanded PTFE. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 14  wherein the step of directing air to be filtered includes directing air through one of a pleated panel, a pocket filter, a V-pack construction, a tubular construction, and a cylindrical, conical, or oval construction. 
     
     
       17. A method of cleaning a filter element for a gas turbine air intake system; the method comprising:
 removing at least some particulate material from a most upstream side of a media pack of a filter element operably installed in a partition of a gas turbine air intake system or alone to provide air flow from the most upstream side to a downstream side; the media pack comprising a media layer comprising a support layer and a membrane layer; the membrane layer being on the most upstream side; the media pack including an oleophobic coating on the upstream side of the membrane layer; the media pack further comprising a depth loading structure downstream of the support layer, wherein the depth loading structure is a wet laid substrate comprising bicomponent fibers. 
 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 17  wherein the membrane layer comprises expanded PTFE. 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 17  wherein the step of removing includes pulsing a jet of compressed gas from the downstream to the upstream side. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 19  wherein the step of removing includes spraying the upstream side with a jet of air or liquid. 
     
     
       21. A filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the support layer includes spunbond media. 
     
     
       22. A filtration system according to  claim 7  wherein the support layer includes spunbond media. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 14  wherein the step of directing air to be filtered includes directing air through filter media wherein the support layer includes spunbond media. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 17  wherein the step of removing includes removing from a media pack wherein the support layer includes spunbond media.